Golf club grip guide

ABSTRACT

In a pair of golf gloves cooperating protuberances are formed respectively on the thumb stall of the left-hand glove and palm portion of the right-hand glove for identically positioning the golfer&#39;&#39;s hands in a desired gripping position each time he addresses the ball.

United States Patent Strickler 14 1 Mar. M, 1972 GOLF CLUB GRIP GUIDE3,255,462 6/1966 Antonious ..2/lo| A [72} Inventor: Carl smckler, 3412N. w 19, 3,394,408 7/1968 Bush ..2/|59 Oklahoma Okla 73107 PrimaryExaminer-Jordan Franklin [22] Filed: Nov. 23, 1970AssistantExaminer-Geo. V. Larkin Attorney-Robert K. Rhea [21] Appl.No:92,095

[57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S.Cl. ..2/l6lA [51] A4ld 19/00 [58] 2/158,159,2/160, 161 A, 169, 161 R, 16, 20

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,253,999 p 1941 Nunn..2/1s9 In a pair of golf gloves cooperating protuberances are formedrespectively on the thumb stall of the left-hand glove and palm portionof the right-hand glove for identically positioning the golfer's handsin a desired gripping position each time he addresses the ball.

4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMAR 14 I972 v 3,648,292

CARL. D. STRICKLER INVENTOR.

GOLF CLIJ GRIP GIJWIE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention The present invention relates to golf gloves and moreparticularly to guide means forming a part of the glove material foridentically positioning the golfers hands each time he grips a golf clubhandle.

One of the principal problems in golf instruction, as well as improvingones skill in playing golf, resides in properly positioning the hands ingripping relation with respect to the golf club handle each time theplayer addresses the ball. It is well understood that a slight rotationof either or both hands in either direction around the axis of the golfclub handle afiects the direction of the ball when struck. Thisinvention provides a guide means for identically positioning both handsin gripping relation each time a golf club handle is gripped.

2. Description of the Prior Art The prior art generally disclose guidemeans attached to or forming a part of golfing golves as an aid inpositioning the golfers hands on a golf club. The most pertinent priorart being US. Pat. Nos. 2,258,999; 2,270,882 and 2,456,678 disclosingprotuberances formed in the palm portion of one or both gloves whichcontact a peripheral portion of the golf club handle when gripping thelatter. This invention is distinctive over these patents by the gripguide means being formed in cooperating relation on the thumb stall ofthe left-hand glove and palm portion of the right hand glove so that theguide means are tactually engaged cooperatively in combination with theclub gripping portion of the hands and with each other.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION At least one protuberance forming a part of theglove material is formed on the left hand glove thumb stall in thatportion of the stall overlying the large joint of a golfers thumb whichcooperatively contacts one or more protuberances similarly formed in thepalm area of the right-hand glove which overlies that area of a golferspalm adjacent but spaced forwardly of his wrist. These protuberances maybe elongated ridge-shaped or prong and socket members permitting anidentical position of the hands each time a golfer grips a golf clubhandle and addresses a ball. This grip guide means thus permits thepositioning of the left thumb of the player parallel with the club shaftand insures the longitudinal axis of the first phalange of the leftindex finger being directed toward the player's right shoulder andpromotes pronation or turning of the left-hand underneath the club shaftduring the up swing of the club so that at the top of the swing theplayers left wrist is underneath the shaft with the toe of the club facepointing toward the earth in accordance with the accepted practice andtheories of expert golf players. This desired positioning of the golfershands further promotes maintaining a straight left arm during the swingand the maintenance of the pressure of the grip on the shaft at alltimes during the swing that preceeds the stroke.

The principal object of this invention is to provide guide means formedon one or both of a pair of golf gloves which will permit identicalplacement of the golfers hands in gripping relation with respect to agolf club shaft each time he addresses the ball.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a pair ofgolfers gloves in place on a golfers hands in open palm position;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are fragmentary vertical cross-sectional views, to alarger scale, taken substantially along the lines 2- 2 and 3-3,respectively, of FIG. I;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a golfers gloved left hand shown in clubgripping position;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a fragmentary portion of a golf clubhandle being properly gripped by the gloved hands of a golfer;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating an alternative golf clubgrip guide means formed on or attached to the gloves;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a golf club grip guide device, per se;and,

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the device of FIG. 7 inplace on a golfers left thumb.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Like characters of referencedesignate like parts in those figures of the drawings in which theyoccur.

IN THE DRAWINGS The reference numerals l0 and 12 respectively indicate apair of golf gloves in place on a golfers hands. The gloves I0 and 12are shown with finger and thumb stalls, however, they may be formed withsevered or cutoff finger and thumb stalls, as is conventional in sometypes of golf gloves, if desired. A relatively small knob or protrusion14 is formed on the thumb stall of the left hand glove I0 in overlyingposition with respect to the first or large knuckle of the golfers hand.The protrusion I4 is preferably radially positioned, with respect to theuser's thumb joint, slightly to the right with respect to the backsurface of the thumb and in substantial alignment with the right edge ofthe users left thumbnail, however, this position of the protrusion 114may be varied slightly in either radial direction, as indicated by thedotted line positions I4.

The other or right-hand glove I2 is provided with a recess or socket 16attached to or formed in the surface of the glove at the rearwardportion of the palm in substantially overlying relation with respect tothe juncture of the middle finger metacarpus bone with the carpis bonesso that the protrusion I4 will be positioned within the socket 16 whenthe hands are in proper golf club gripping position, as illustrated inFIG. 5.

An alternative embodiment of the grip guide is illustrated in FIG. 6,formed on the gloves 10A and 12A, which comprises an elongated ridgelikeprotrusion 14A similarly positioned on the glove in overlying relationwith respect to the golfers large joint of his left thumb. The ridge 14Ais relatively short and is longitudinally aligned with the axis of theglove thumb stall. The right-hand glove 12A is provided with aplurality, three in the example shown, of similarly formed elongatedridge members or protrusions 18 arranged transversely of the glovesubstantially parallel with the finger stalls and extending transverselyof the position of the above described socket I6 and forming a pair ofrecesses or spaces 20 between the ridges. The recesses or spaces 20 arecooperatively received by the ridge 14A when the players hands are inthe club golf gripping position of FIG. 5. After a little practice, thegolfer will learn which of the recesses or spaces 20 the ridge 14A is tobe disposed within, when gripping the golf club to achieve the desiredresults. This pennits the golfer to reposition his hands insubstantially the identical position with respect to the golf clubhandle each time he addresses the ball.

An alternative manner of forming the golf club guide is illustrated inFIGS. 7 and 3, comprising a tubular ringlike section of rubber 30 orother flexible material having open ends and dimensioned for surroundinga golfers left hand thumb 32 at the position of the first or large jointof the thumb. The tube is provided with an elongated narrow outstandingrib 34 parallel with the axis of the tube 30. The tube 30 is positionedon the players thumb so that the rib 34 is disposed in the position ofthe ridge 14A of the glove 10A. This rib 34 is similarly received by oneof the recesses or spaces 20 of the glove 12A when gripping the golfclub. Obviously, after a little practice, the player will learn, bytactile sensation the proper location or position of the rib 34 in therearward palm portion of his right hand and thus may eliminate the useof the right hand glove 12A, if desired. Similarly, after the player hasconditioned himself for the proper placing of his hands by using thegolf grip guides he may thereafter position his hands in proper grippingrelation with respect to the club each time he addresses the ball.

While a preferred position for the guides has been shown comprises: anddescribed it seems obvious that they may be altered some. an elongatedridge extending parallel with respect to the For example, those guideson the left thumb stall may be l git di l xi of one aid thumb tall,Placed Over the last joint of the thumb and those on the fight 3. Thecombination according to claim 2 in which said hand glove placed on ornear the forward limit of the thenar 5 protrusion comprises; eminence ofthe {lght h h Position; a plurality of spaced-apart ridges formed on thesurface, ad-

Obviously the invention is susceptible to changes or alterajacent therearward hmh of the Palm portion and Substam tions without defeating itspracticability, therefore, 1 do not tiahy parallel with the finger suns,of the other Said glove wish to be confined to the preferred embodimentshown in the he spacing between adjacent ones of Said plurality ofdrawlnfis and descnbed herem l ridges being at least equal to thetransverse dimension claim: of said elongated ridge.

A F' 8 9" 4. The combination according to claim 1 in which said gloves,each having a palm portion and a thumb stall, the improtrusioncomprises:

provement comprising:

a knob formed on and projecting outwardly of the surface of [5 one saidthumb stall in that area substantially overlying the large joint of auser's thumb; and,

a protrusion defining a knob receiving recess formed on the surface,adjacent the rearward limit of the palm portion of a user, of the othersaid glove.

2. The combination according to claim 1 in which said knob a pluralityof spaced-apart ridges formed on the surface, adjacent the rearwardlimit of the palm portion and substantially parallel with the fingerstalls, of the other said glove, the spacing between adjacent ones ofsaid plurality of ridges being at least equal to the transversedimension of said knob.

1. A golfer''s grip guide in combination with a pair of golf gloves,each having a palm portion and a thumb stall, the improvementcomprising: a knob formed on and projecting outwardly of the surface ofone said thumb stall in that area substantially overlying the largejoint of a user''s thumb; and, a protrusion defining a knob receivingrecess formed on the surface, adjacent the rearward limit of the palmportion of a user, of the other said glove.
 2. The combination accordingto claim 1 in which said knob comprises: an elongated ridge extendingparallel with respect to the longitudinal axis of one said thumb stall.3. The combination according to claim 2 in which said protrusioncomprises: a plurality of spaced-apart ridges formed on the surface,adjacent the rearward limit of the palm portion and substantiallyparallel with the finger stalls, of the other said glove, the spacingbetween adjacent ones of said plurality of ridges being at least equalto the transverse dimension of said elongated ridge.
 4. The combinationaccording to claim 1 in which said protrusion comprises: a plurality ofspaced-apart ridges formed on the surface, adjacent the rearward limitof the palm portion and substantially parallel with the finger stalls,of the other said glove, the spacing between adjacent ones of saidplurality of ridges being at least equal to the transverse dimension ofsaid knob.